Retinoic acid-inducible gene 1 (RIG-1) and IFN-ß promoter stimulator-1 (IPS-1) significantly down-regulated in the severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

INTRODUCTION: Retinoic acid-inducible gene 1 (RIG-1) and melanoma differentiation-associated protein 5 (MDA5) are the well-known cytoplasmic sensors that recognize microbial DNA or RNA and active down-stream molecules, including IFN-ß promoter stimulator-1 (IPS-1) and receptor interacting protein 1 (RIP1). The roles played by the networked molecules on the infection with SARS-CoV-2 needs more investigations. MATERIAL AND METHOD: In this project MDA5, RIG-1, IPS-1 and RIP1 mRNA levels were evaluated in 45 hospitalized patients suffering from coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) and 45 healthy subjects using Real Time-qPCR technique. RESULT: The results showed significant decreased RIG-1 and IPS-1 in the SARS-CoV-2 infected patients when compared to healthy cases. MDA5 and RIP1 did not change when compared two groups. Male patients had similar expression of MDA5, RIG-1, IPS-1 and RIP1 when compared to female patients. CONCLUSION: Based on the results, it seems that RIG-1 and its signaling molecule, IPS-1, play key roles in the peripheral blood immune cells against SARS-CoV-2 and, their down-regulation may be induced by the virus to escape from immune responses.

Validation of the Iranian version of the Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale 12-item research short-form for use during global crises (PSAS-IR-RSF-C).

BACKGROUND: Due to its high pervasiveness and adversarial consequences, postpartum anxiety has been one of the most worrying public health concerns in the last decade. According to previous research, the occurrence of mental disorders among women in the postpartum period upsurges significantly in the course of universal disasters. The Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale - Research Short Form - for use in global Crises [PSAS-IR-RSF-C] has not been used in Iran for postpartum women during a health system shock. Consequently, this study was conducted to determine the validity and reliability of the Persian version (PSAS-IR-RSF-C) during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed with 180 women who were between six weeks and six months after delivery, by random sampling method from December 2021 to June 2022. The validity of the PSAS-RSF-C in terms of face, content, was analyzed, and the construct validity was assessed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the questionnaire were measured using (Cronbach's alpha, McDonald's ω) and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), respectively. RESULTS: The content validity index and content validity ratio of the Persian version of the PSAS-IR-RSF-C were 0.96 and 0.98, respectively. A three-factor structure was extracted during the exploratory factor analysis process, and model validity was confirmed by the values of fit indices. Cronbach's alpha coefficient, McDonald's ω and intra-cluster correlation coefficient (95% confidence interval) were 0.74, 0.92 (0.78 to 0.93) and 0.97 (0.93 to 0.98), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: For the specific assessment of postpartum anxiety among Iranian women during crises, the Persian version of the PSAS-IR-RSF-C is a valid and reliable tool.

Psychometric evaluation of the postpartum specific anxiety scale - research short-form among iranian women (PSAS-IR-RSF).

BACKGROUND: The increasing prevalence of postpartum anxiety as a common psychological problem affects a large part of women's lives. Despite the existence of tools in this field, but due to the lack of specificity in reflecting postpartum anxiety, it is necessary to have a specific tool to screen it. Since the psychometric evaluation of the Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale-Research Short-Form (PSAS-RSF) among Iranian women has not been assessed in Iran until now, so we decided to conduct this study with the aim of psychometric evaluation of the PSAS-IR-RSF. METHODS: We included 180 women (six weeks to six months postpartum) in the study by random sampling during the period from December 2021 to June 2022. We examined the validity of the PSAS-IR-RSF tool in terms of face, content and construct (through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses). We used internal consistency and test-retest reliability to determine the reliability of the scale. RESULTS: In the present study, content validity index (CVI) and content validity ratio (CVR) of the PSAS-IR-RSF tool were equal to 0.91 and 0.97, respectively. We extracted a four-factor structure through the process of exploratory factor analysis. The values of fitting indices confirmed the validity of the model. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was equal to 0.72 and intra-class correlation coefficient (with 95% confidence interval) was 0.97 (0.98 to 0.93). CONCLUSIONS: The Persian version of the PSAS-IR-RSF is a valid and reliable tool for the specific evaluation of postpartum anxiety among Iranian women.

Prevalence and severity of urinary incontinence and associated factors in Iranian postmenopausal women: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Urinary incontinence (UI) is one of the most common symptoms during menopause, leading to a decreased quality of life and limited social activities. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and severity of urinary incontinence and associated risk factors in postmenopausal women. METHODS: It was a cross-sectional study using cluster sampling on 433 postmenopausal women in Tabriz-Iran, 2021-2022. Data were collected using questionnaires of socio-demographic characteristics, Questionnaire for Urinary Incontinence Diagnosis (QUID), and International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ-UISF). Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine factors related to urinary incontinence. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of urinary incontinence was 39.5%; 20.6% stress urinary incontinence (SUI), 10.4% urgency urinary incontinence (UUI), and 8.5% mixed urinary incontinence (MUI). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the prevalence of SUI (aOR 0.38; 95% CI 0.18-0.77) and UUI (aOR 0.38; 95% CI 0.15-0.94) was significantly lower in women with three childbirths than the ones with fewer childbirths. Also, the odds of UUI increased significantly in women at the 50-55 age range (aOR 3.88; 95% CI 1.16-12.93) than those less than 50 years. CONCLUSION: Due to the high prevalence of urinary incontinence in postmenopausal women, caregivers should screen for early diagnosis and appropriate treatment of urinary incontinence to prevent its destructive impact on the quality of life.

Upregulation of the long noncoding RNAs DSCAM-AS1 and MANCR is a potential diagnostic marker for breast carcinoma.

Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most common malignancies among women in the world. There is a global attempt to diagnose BC as early as possible. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as novel targets and biomarkers for BC diagnosis and prognosis. Aberrant expression of lncRNAs is associated with BC development, making them a potential tumor marker for BC. To investigate this possibility, we determined the expression levels of Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule-antisense RNA-1 (DSCAM-AS1) and mitotically-associated long non-coding RNA (MANCR) lncRNAs in BC tissues. This case-control study included 50 paired tumor and adjacent nontumor tissues from female BC patients. The total RNA was isolated and the expression levels of MANCR and DSCAM-AS1 lncRNAs were assessed using quantitative real-time reverse transcription-PCR. Potential correlations between lncRNA levels and clinicopathological characteristics were also analyzed. DSCAM-AS1 and MANCR lncRNAs were significantly upregulated in BC tumor tissues compared with the adjacent nontumor tissues. We also found the significant upregulation of DSCAM-AS1 in advanced tumor-node-metastasis stage (TNM III) of BC tumor tissues. Furthermore, the expression of DSCAM-AS1 and MANCR in HER-2 positive patients was significantly higher than HER-2 negative affected individuals. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed a satisfactory diagnostic efficacy (P value < 0.0001), which means that DSCAM-AS1 and MANCR lncRNAs can potentially serve as a biomarker. The present study might provide further approval for the clinical diagnostic significance of DSCAM-AS1 and MANCR lncRNAs that their high expressions were associated with aggressive clinical parameters of BC.

Identification of a six-microRNA signature as a potential diagnostic biomarker in breast cancer tissues.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer (BC) is by far the most common malignancy among women. Epigenetic modulators, microRNAs in particular, may set stages for BC development and its progression. Herein, we aimed to assess the diagnostic potentiality of a signature of six miRNAs (i.e., hsa-miR-25-3p, -29a-5p, -105-3p, -181b1-5p, -335-5p, and -339-5p) in BC and adjacent non-tumor tissues. METHODS: A pair of 50 tumor and adjacent non-tumor samples were taken from BC patients. The expression of each candidate miRNA was measured using quantitative reverse transcription PCR. To investigate the possible roles of each miRNA and their impressions on BC prognosis, in silico tools were used. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were performed to determine the diagnostic accuracy of each miRNA and the possible association of their expression with clinicopathological characteristics was analyzed. RESULTS: Our findings showed the upregulation of hsa-miR-25-3p, -29a-5p, -105-3p, and -181b1-5p, and the downregulation of hsa-miR-335-5p and -339-5p in BC tumor compared to corresponding adjacent tissues. Except for hsa-miR-339-5p, the up-/down-regulation of the candidate miRNAs was associated with TNM stages. Except for hsa-miR-105-3p, each candidate miRNA was correlated with HER-2 status. ROC curve analysis showed that the signature of six-miRNA is a potential biomarker distinguishing between tumor and non-tumor breast tissue samples. CONCLUSION: We showed that the dysregulation of a novel signature of six-miRNA can be used as a potential biomarker for BC diagnosis.

FORESEE: a tool for the systematic comparison of translational drug response modeling pipelines.

SUMMARY: Translational models that utilize omics data generated in in vitro studies to predict the drug efficacy of anti-cancer compounds in patients are highly distinct, which complicates the benchmarking process for new computational approaches. In reaction to this, we introduce the uniFied translatiOnal dRug rESponsE prEdiction platform FORESEE, an open-source R-package. FORESEE not only provides a uniform data format for public cell line and patient datasets, but also establishes a standardized environment for drug response prediction pipelines, incorporating various state-of-the-art pre-processing methods, model training algorithms and validation techniques. The modular implementation of individual elements of the pipeline facilitates a straightforward development of combinatorial models, which can be used to re-evaluate and improve already existing pipelines as well as to develop new ones. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION: FORESEE is licensed under GNU General Public License v3.0 and available at https://github.com/JRC-COMBINE/FORESEE and https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/RF6QK, and provides vignettes for documentation and application both online and in the Supplementary Files 2 and 3. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Advances of exosome isolation techniques in lung cancer.

Lung cancer (LC) is among the leading causes of death all over the world and it is often diagnosed at advanced or metastatic stages. Exosomes, derived from circulating vesicles that are released from the multivesicular body, can be utilized for diagnosis and also the prognosis of LC at early stages. Exosomal proteins, RNAs, and DNAs can help to better discern the prognostic and diagnostic features of LC. To our knowledge, there are various reviews on LC and the contribution of exosomes, but none of them are about the exome techniques and also their efficiency in LC. To fill this gap, in this review, we summarize the recent investigations regarding isolation and also the characterization of exosomes of LC cells. Furthermore, we discuss the noncoding RNAs as biomarkers and their applications in the diagnosis and prognosis of LC. Finally, we compare the efficacy of exosome isolation methods to better fi + 6 + guring out feasible techniques.

Effects of journal therapy counseling with anxious pregnant women on their infants' sleep quality: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Sleep is especially important for infants, since it stimulates the development of neural connections in their brains. Psychological stress such as anxiety could affect sleep quality. This study investigated the effects of journal therapy counseling sessions on the infants' sleep quality based on mothers' perception (primary outcome), maternal anxiety, infants' anthropometric and developmental parameters, and the frequency of exclusive breastfeeding (secondary outcomes). METHODS: A total of 70 healthy women with gestational age of 28-31 weeks participated in this randomized controlled trial. The participants were randomly allocated into intervention and control groups using randomized block design. Three in-person journal therapy sessions and three telephone counseling sessions (2 between in-person sessions and 1 one month postpartum) were provided to those in the intervention group, while the control group only received routine care. The Infant Sleep Questionnaire (ISQ), Exclusive Breastfeeding Checklist, and Infant Anthropometric Parameters Checklist were completed at two and four months postpartum. The Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) was completed during pregnancy, at the end of the intervention, and at two and four months postpartum, and the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) was completed at 4 months postpartum. Data were analyzed using chi-square, independent t-test, ANCOVA and repeated measure ANOVA. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the two groups in demographic characteristics and baseline anxiety scores. The mean sleep quality score in infants two months of age (MD: -4.2; 95%CI: - 1.1 to - 7.2; P = 0.007) and four months of age (MD: -5.5; 95%CI: - 8.4 to - 2.7; P < 0.001) was significantly lower in the intervention group than that of those in the control group. Based on the repeated measure ANOVA results, the mean postpartum anxiety score of mothers in the intervention group was significantly lower than that of those in the control group (AMD: -7.7; 95%CI: - 5.5 to - 10.1; P < 0.001). There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding other outcomes including the frequency of exclusive breastfeeding, and anthropometric and developmental parameters (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Journal therapy can decrease mothers' anxiety and improve the infants' sleep quality based on their perception. However, further studies are required before drawing any definitive conclusion. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT): IRCT20120718010324N45. Date of registration: August 11, 2018. URL: https://en.irct.ir/trial/33211.

Ovarian Torsion and Oophorectomy in Childhood: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND: Ovarian torsion in infants can be asymptomatic or may present with abdominal mass and malnutrition. It is an uncommon and non-specific condition in children. We report a girl who underwent detorsion and ovariopexy for suspected ovarian torsion after a previous oophorectomy. The role of progesterone therapy is determined in reducing the size of adnexal mass. CASE PRESENTATION: The patient was diagnosed with right ovarian torsion and underwent an oophorectomy at one year of age. About 18 months later, she was diagnosed with left ovarian torsion and underwent detorsion with lateral pelvic fixation. Despite the pelvic fixation of the ovary, a continuous increase in the volume of the ovarian tissue was evident during successive ultrasounds. Progesterone therapy was started at five years of age in order to prevent retorsion and preserve the ovarian tissue. In successive follow-ups during the therapy, ovarian volume decreased, and its size (27*18 mm) was restored. CONCLUSION: The presented case reminds doctors of the possibility of ovarian torsion in young girls with pelvic pain. More research is needed on the use of hormonal drugs, such as progesterone, in similar cases.

Investigating the Effect of Satureja khuzestanica Essential oil on MDR1 Gene Expression in Leishmania major.

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous leishmaniasis is among the neglected diseases in the world. Pentavalent antimonial compounds are considered the first-line treatment for this disease. However, using alternative natural products has received great attention due to the side effects of chemical drugs and drug resistance of the Leishmania parasite. The present study aims to investigate the effect of Satureja khuzestanica essential oil (SKEO) on MDR1 gene expression. METHODS: In this study, standard strains of Leishmania major promastigotes were exposed to 5, 10, 15, and 20 µg/ml of SKEO. MDR1 gene expression of parasites exposed to essential oil was evaluated using real-time PCR. GAPDH was employed as the housekeeping gene for internal control. RESULTS: Despite the increase, no statistically significant difference was observed in the relative expression of the MDR1 gene between the control group and the groups containing 5, 10, and 20 µg/ml of SKEO (P > 0.05). The relative expression of the MDR1 gene significantly increased in the group containing 15 µg/ml of essential oil compared to the control one (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study showed that the use of essential oil of Satureja khuzestanica plant can have an increasing effect on the expression of MDR1 gene of Leishmania promastigotes, which is the best case if Satureja khuzestanica essential oil reduces the expression of MDR1 gene. So it seems that the use of essential oil of Satoria plant is effective in controlling Leishmania parasite, but its concentrations induce drug resistance. As a result, concentrations of essential oil should be used that have a controlling effect on the growth and proliferation of Leishmania parasite and also have the least effect on the induction of MDR1 gene expression.

The effect of fenugreek on the severity of dysmenorrhea: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Dysmenorrhea is the most common periodic pain, which affects more than 50% of women with regular menstruation. Fenugreek is one of the medicinal plants with analgesic properties. This study aimed to determine the effect of fenugreek application in the severity of dysmenorrhea and its side effects in women with dysmenorrhea. PICO: population: women with dysmenorrhea; intervention: fenugreek; comparison: control groups; and outcome: reduction in the severity of dysmenorrhea and its side effects Methodology: English database (PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Web of Science) and Persian database [SID (Scientific Information Database) and Magiran] were used for research until February 11, 2023, using the keywords "Dysmenorrhea [Mesh]," "Foenum [Mesh]," "fenugreek [Mesh]," and "Trigonella [Mesh]." The reference list of the selected articles was also checked. The quality assessment was conducted through the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions version 5.2.0. The RevMan 5.3 software was used to analyze and report the data of the entered studies. Meta-analysis results were reported with the standardized mean difference (95% confidence interval). A subgroup analysis was performed based on the type of control groups. The quality of evidence was assessed using the GRADE approach. RESULTS: After removing duplicates and ineligible cases, four articles were included in the systematic review out of the 1526 records obtained. The results showed that the pain intensity caused by primary dysmenorrhea decreased with fenugreek compared to placebo (pooled result SMD: -2.21; 95% CI: -3.26 to -1.17; Z: 4.17; P <0.001). There was no significant difference between fenugreek with mefenamic acid (SMD: 0.05; 95% CI: -0.57 to 0.67; Z: 0.17; P = 0.86) and fenugreek with Chandrasura churna (SMD: 0.06; 95% CI: -0.56 to 0.68; Z: 0.19; P = 0.85). Bias, in terms of incomplete outcome data and selective reporting, was low risk in all studies, and the available evidence was low quality according to the GRADE approach. CONCLUSION: The results showed that the effect of fenugreek on pain intensity in dysmenorrhea is highly uncertain. The true effect is likely to be substantially different from the estimate of effect. Regarding the importance of the health and quality of life of women of reproductive age and the low quality of evidence of the studies, clinical trials with stronger methodology are suggested in this field.

Relationship between health practices with attitudes towards pregnancy and motherhood and pregnancy symptoms in Iranian pregnant women: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: Pregnancy is a vulnerable period for women's health, and health practices play an essential role in this period. This study aimed to determine the relationship between health practices with attitudes toward pregnancy and motherhood and pregnancy symptoms. DESIGN: It was a cross-sectional study using cluster sampling conducted on 351 pregnant women in 2021-2022. Data were collected using questionnaires of socio-demographic characteristics, health practices in pregnancy (Health Practices Questionnaire-II), attitude towards motherhood and pregnancy (Prenatal Attitudes Towards motherhood and Pregnancy) and pregnancy symptoms (Pregnancy Symptoms Inventory). The general linear model (GLM), with the adjustment of socio-demographic characteristics, was used to determine the relationship of the health practices with attitudes towards motherhood and pregnancy and pregnancy symptoms. SETTING: Health centres in Tabriz city, Iran. PARTICIPANTS: Women were eligible if living in the Tabriz city, Iran, were pregnant and had a personal health record at the health centre. RESULTS: The mean (SD) of the total health practices score was 117.9 (20.5) out of 34-170. The mean (SD) of the attitudes towards motherhood and pregnancy was 33.4 (4.5) out of 11-44. The mean (SD) of the pregnancy symptoms was 28.0 (12.1) out of 0-123. According to the Pearson correlation test, there was a significant direct correlation between health practices with attitudes towards motherhood and pregnancy (r=0.39; p<0.001) and a significant inverse correlation with pregnancy symptoms (r=-0.29; p<0.001). Based on the GLM with an increase in the score of health practices, the mean score of the attitude towards motherhood and pregnancy increased (B=0.07; 95% CI: 0.05 to 0.1), and the mean score of pregnancy symptoms decreased (B=-0.1; 95% CI: -0.2 to -0.05). CONCLUSION: Considering the relationship between health practices with the attitude towards motherhood and pregnancy symptoms, healthcare providers better use educational and counselling strategies to promote health practices in pregnant women.

Colorectal cancer-secreted exosomal circ_001422 plays a role in regulating KDR expression and activating mTOR signaling in endothelial cells by targeting miR-195-5p.

BACKGROUND: As non-coding RNAs, exosomal circular RNAs (circRNAs) regulate colorectal cancer (CRC) progression, although the functional mechanisms by which such molecules affect the tumor microenvironment are still elusive. Herein, we aimed to explore the potential clinical significance of a signature of five serum-derived circRNAs in CRC and investigated the mechanisms underlying endothelial cell angiogenesis mediated by CRC-secreted exosomal circ_001422. METHODS: The expression of a signature of five serum-derived circRNAs (circ_0004771, circ_0101802, circ_0082333, circ_0072309, and circ_001422) were measured by RT-qPCR, and their associations with tumor staging and lymph node metastasis were further evaluated in CRC patients. In silico analysis was used to show the relationship between circ_001422, miR-195-5p, and KDR, validated by dual-luciferase reporter and Western blotting assays. CRC cell-derived exosomes were isolated and characterized by scanning electron microscopy and Western blotting. Endothelial cell uptake of PKH26-labeled exosomes was demonstrated using a spectral confocal microscope. In vitro genetic strategies were used to exogenously alter the expression level of circ_001422 and miR-195-5p expression. Cell proliferation assay, transwell migration assay, and capillary tube formation assay were conducted to explore the role of CRC-secreted exosomal circ_001422 in endothelial cell function in vitro. RESULTS: The expression levels of serum-derived circ_0004771, circ_0101802, circ_0082333, and circ_001422 were significantly higher in CRC and were positively correlated with the lymph node metastasis status. However, circ_0072309 showed a significant down-regulation in CRC than in healthy individuals. Furthermore, a higher expression level of circ_001422 in both cellular and exosomal fractions was found in HCT-116 CRC cells. We found that HCT-116 exosomes considerably enhanced proliferation and migration of endothelial cells through shuttling of circ_001422. We also observed that exosomes derived from HCT-116 cell, but not non-aggressive Caco-2 CRC cells, increased in vitro tubulogenesis of endothelial cells. Importantly, knockdown of circ_001422 impaired the capability of endothelial cells to form the capillary-like tube structures. CRC-secreted circ_001422 acted as an endogenous miR-195-5p sponge to inhibit miR-195-5p activity, which led to increased KDR expression and mTOR signaling activation in endothelial cells. Importantly, ectopic expression of miR-195-5p mimicked the effect of circ_001422 silencing on KDR/mTOR signaling in endothelial cells. CONCLUSION: This study attributed a biomarker role for circ_001422 in CRC diagnosis and proposed a novel mechanism whereby circ_001422 up-regulates KDR through sponging miR-195-5p. These interactions may give rise to the activation of mTOR signaling and may be a possible clarification for the pro-angiogenesis effects of CRC-secreted exosomal circ_001422 on endothelial cells.

Sexual and reproductive health-related questions and concerns of newly married couples: A qualitative content analysis.

Background and Aims: Approximately half of Iranian marring couples have poor sexual knowledge and attitudes. This article delves into the main concerns and queries regarding sexual and reproductive health among Iranian newly married couples. Methods: We conducted a content analysis of the sexual and reproductive health questions and concerns that were anonymously submitted by newly married couples to the researcher via social media in 2021-2022. Results: A total of 141 questions and concerns that were related to sexual and reproductive health were considered for content analysis. Findings illustrated two main categories: (1) the need to create a reproductive life plan, and (2) the need for sexual knowledge and counseling. The first category consisted of three subcategories: "Poor contraceptive knowledge," "Need for support in case of a missed period or unplanned pregnancy," and "Need for preconception care." The second category included three subcategories: "Concern regarding virginity," "Sexual problems on the honeymoon," and "Sexual problems in newlyweds." Conclusion: Iranian newly married couples need long-term specialized services addressing their reproductive life planning and sexual knowledge needs. Integrating reproductive life planning and comprehensive sex education into the primary care services for newly married couples can help to reduce delayed childbearing, unintended pregnancy, unsafe and illegal abortion, and subsequent infertility.

The effect of cognitive-behavioral counseling with or without Citrus aurantium essential oil on sleep quality in pregnant women: a randomized controlled trial.

Sleep disorder is very common during pregnancy. Non-pharmacological treatments are a priority to improve the sleep pattern. This study aimed to determine the effect of cognitive-behavioral counseling with or without Citrus aurantium essential oil on sleep quality (primary outcome) and anxiety and quality of life (secondary outcomes). This randomized controlled trial was performed on 75 pregnant women in Tabriz, Iran. Participants were randomly assigned to the intervention and control groups. The first intervention group received 8 sessions of cognitive-behavioral counseling and aromatherapy with Citrus aurantium essential oil 15-20 min before bedtime. The second intervention group received cognitive-behavioral counseling and aromatherapy with placebo and the control group received only routine prenatal care. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Pregnancy-Specific Quality of life Questionnaire, and Pregnancy-Specific Anxiety Scale were completed before and after intervention. After the intervention based on ANCOVA test and by adjusting the baseline score, the mean score of anxiety in the intervention group 1 (AMD: - 4.54; 95% CI - 6.79 to - 2.28) and intervention group 2 (AMD: - 3.30; 95% CI - 5.60 to - 0.97) was significantly lower than the control group. Also, the mean score of quality of life in intervention group 1 (AMD: 2.55; 95% CI 0.45-4.65) and intervention group 2 (AMD: 2.72; 95% CI 0.60-4.83) was significantly higher than the control group, but there was no statistically significant difference between the study groups in terms of sleep quality (P > 0.05). Also, there was no statistically significant difference between the two intervention groups after the intervention in terms of anxiety (P = 0.379) and quality of life (P = 0.996). Cognitive-behavioral counseling reduced anxiety and improved quality of life. However, further trials are required to reach a definitive conclusion. Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT): IRCT20120718010324N63. Date of registration: 4/10/2020. URL: https://en.irct.ir/user/trial/54986/view; Date of first registration: 18/10/2020.

The relationship between urinary incontinence with sexual function and quality of life in postmenopausal women.

BACKGROUND: Urinary incontinence has a significant impact on the psychosocial well-being of postmenopausal women. This study aimed to determine the relationship between urinary incontinence with sexual function and quality of life. METHOD: It was a cross-sectional study using cluster sampling on 433 postmenopausal women in Tabriz-Iran, 2021-2022. Data were collected using questionnaires of socio-demographic and obstetrics characteristics, female sexual function index (FSFI), Menopause-Specific Quality of Life (MENQOL), and Urinary Incontinence Diagnosis (UIDQ). Independent sample t-test and general linear model (GLM) were used to compare the quality of life and sexual function score between the two groups of women with and without stress, urgency, and mixed urinary incontinence. RESULTS: Independent sample t-test showed a significant difference in the quality of life and sexual function between women with and without stress, urgency, and mixed urinary incontinence (p < 0.05). Based on the GLM with adjusting the socio-demographic and obstetrics characteristics, women without stress incontinence reported a lower mean score of MENQOL (B = - 23.38; 95% CI = -30.1 to -16.6; p < 0.001) and a higher mean score of sexual function (B = 4.5; 95% CI = 2.1-7.0; p < 0.001) compared to women with stress incontinence; a lower MENQOL score and a higher sexual function score indicate better condition. However, there was no significant relationship between urgency and mixed incontinence with quality of life and sexual function (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: As urinary incontinence remarkably affects sexual function and quality of life of postmenopausal women, health care providers should consider better solutions for this issue in their work program.

The effect of mindfulness training on stress and sleep quality of postmenopausal women: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Mindfulness is an effective method for empowering women to cope with menopausal changes. This study aimed to determine the effect of mindfulness training on stress and sleep quality in postmenopausal women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: English (PubMed, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science, and CINHAL) and Persian (SID, Magiran) databases were searched until 25 June 2022, using the free and MeSH keywords included Mindfulness and Menopause. The quality of the published papers was evaluated using Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions version 5.2.0. The meta-analysis was conducted in RevMan 5.3 and the results were reported with mean difference (95% confidence interval). The quality of evidence was assessed using the GRADE approach. RESULTS: A total of 1206 records were obtained. After removing duplicate and non-eligible records, finally five articles were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. The results indicated that sleep quality score (SMD = -1.44; 95% CI = -2.44 to -0.46; p = 0.004) and perceived stress score (MD = -4.21; 95% CI = -6.41 to -2.00; p = 0.0002) were significantly reduced in the mindfulness training group compared to control group. CONCLUSION: Mindfulness training is associated with improving sleep quality and perceived stress (with a low quality of evidence) in postmenopausal women. Mental health and quality of life in postmenopausal women impressively affect the community health. Given the low quality of evidence of the studies in this field, randomized controlled trials with better methodologies are suggested.

The effect of cognitive-behavioral therapy on stress and anxiety of women with premature ovarian insufficiency: A randomized controlled trial.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT): IRCT20120718010324N64. Date of registration: 14/02/2021. URL: https://en.irct.ir/user/trial/52024/view; date of first registration: 17/02/2021.